Nightmares
by angimal
Summary: Plagued by nightmares, Keith seeks comfort from the one he loves. K/L slash. Complete.


**A/N: A big thank you to my beta readers Sybil Rowan and StarDuchess! Also thank you to those 6CrazyGals for inspiration from your amazing stories.**

**I don't own Voltron, but that's okay. WEP seems to have it under control. **

**Enjoy, read, and review. **

_He stood in the park watching his parents walk before him. It was as if he was a child again. They turned their heads and smiled at him as he looked above them in horror. He heard an explosion and coughed as smoke encased him. _

_When the smoke cleared, he saw his parents' bodies twisted on the ground, bloody and lifeless. He felt a rumble below his feet. The ground cracked open violently and he watched his parents fall into the void, shouting vainly after them. As the trembling intensified, the crack widened. He lost his balance and slipped into the blackness desperately trying to grab hold of something to break the fall. _

_Without warning, his body slammed onto a surface. Darkness surrounded him. Voices in the background cackled horrifically. A giant hand appeared out of the darkness, knobby and taloned. It slowly moved towards him. He backed away, but the hand pursued its course. He hit a wall, or what he thought was a wall. _

_Turning his head, he saw a familiar face smile back at him. This man he collided with took aim with a gun and fired at the monstrous hand, but to no avail. The hand took hold of his protector and squeezed the life out of him. _

"_Lance! No!"_

Keith shot up in bed, covered in a cold sweat and out of breath. He clutched the sheets over him, his knuckles whitened by his intense grip. He had been dreaming the same cruel images for a month now and was starting to lose sleep over them.

Normally, he would grab a glass of water and sit at his desk to work on his reports, not wanting to sleep again. Tonight was different. The pressures of the war, and his recent nightmares, were taking toll on his body and psyche. He needed comfort. Drawing in a ragged breath, he climbed out of bed. There was only one person he wanted to see even though it was in the middle of the night. He typed a few commands on his computer to deactivate the hallway cameras and left his room.

Arriving at his destination, Keith pressed a button outside the door to alert the person within. He waited patiently for the door to open but nothing happened. He pressed the button once more, and after receiving no response again, he sighed and headed back to his own room in disappointment. As he walked away he heard the door finally slide open. "Keith?" Lance yawned, rubbing his eyes. "Did you need something?"

Keith paused and looked over his shoulder. "It's nothing. I'm sorry to have woken you."

He saw the concern on Lance's face. "Keith, you look like shit. Get over here."

Keith shrugged and turned back towards Lance's room. Lance closed the door after he entered. "What's going on?"

Keith folded his arms across his chest and stared at the wall. "Really, it's nothing."

"Bullshit. You wouldn't come knocking on my door at 2 AM if it was nothing."

Keith rubbed the back of his neck until it was red, mumbling something about the Galaxy Garrison and ending the war. Lance rolled his eyes.

"You're always complaining about the Garrison. It hasn't stopped you from sleeping before. What else is going on?"

Keith thought about the pressures he faced from the Garrison, from himself to uphold his oath to Arus and the team, and from his relationship with Lance. The nightmares began about two months after they admitted their feelings for each other.

During a Drule invasion Lance's lion dodged in front of Keith's and was hit with laser fire. Though he crashed to the ground, Lance emerged from the cabin virtually unscathed. That night they had their first fight as a couple. Arguing with Lance about his irrational risk-taking tendencies was nothing new, but this fight was more intense than usual. The thought of losing Lance sent him over the edge.

He turned around and looked into Lance's eyes. He couldn't let Lance take any more risks for his sake. Lance saw the look of defeat in Keith's face. "You okay?"

Keith shook his head and let his feelings surface. Lance wrapped his arms around Keith and held him tightly. Keith placed his head on Lance's shoulder, and his emotions poured out in a heartbreaking sob. "Shh…it's okay…I'm here…"

Lance softly uttered comforting phrases until Keith had calmed. Lance stepped back, holding him at arms' length. "Better now?"

Keith nodded.

Lance felt the stiffness in Keith's shoulders. "Man you have some tight shoulders. Want me to massage them?"

Keith nodded again and half smiled. He walked over to the side of the bed and sat crossed-legged on the floor. Lance climbed around him so Keith sat between his legs, and he began to work on Keith's shoulders.

"I had the dream again, Lance," Keith finally admitted.

"Again? How long has this been going on now? A couple weeks?"

"About a month."

"That long, huh. Why do you think you're having these nightmares?" Lance inquired.

"I don't know," Keith sighed, frustrated. "This war with the Drules isn't easing up any, and the pressure from Galaxy Garrison to end things increases daily."

"Graham hasn't eased up at all, has he?"

"I keep telling him the time isn't right. There are too many unknown factors when it comes to Zarkon and Lotor. Not to mention it's nearly impossible to intercept communications from that planet thanks to Haggar's black magic. Graham doesn't get it. He's threatening to reduce resources again."

"He's always been on our side. What gives with his attitude recently?"

"He's not the only one in command at the Garrison, Lance. Although it seems like his attitude shifted once they brought on this Wade character. I don't like that man at all. There's something off about him. I can't put my finger on it yet."

"Wade's a fucking asshole, that's what it is."

"Leave it to you to put things so bluntly."

"Hey, I'll say what's on your mind since you're too honorable to say it yourself."

Keith took one of Lance's hands and placed a soft kiss on it. "I know. That's why I love you."

"Well I hope that's not the only reason you love me," Lance teased.

"I just wish…," Keith trailed off, but Lance knew what he was going to say. They had been arguing about it for a couple months.

"Me, too, so what's stopping us from letting everyone know?"

"Come on, Lance, you know it's against Garrison policy."

"Yeah, but they're way out there, and we're way out here. They wouldn't have to know. The team would keep things under wraps."

"The team would. We don't know about Coran or any of the palace military, though. Plus, I wouldn't want to endure the wrath of Nanny. It's too risky. It makes me wonder sometimes...," Keith trailed off again.

"Wonder what?"

Keith was silent for a moment. "Nothing," he finally sighed.

"No, not nothing. Wonder what?" Lance pressed.

"Maybe it would be better if we…if we just moved on." Keith gulped, feeling emotion rising to the surface again.

"Keith Kogane, are you breaking up with me?" Lance spat out angrily.

"It would be one less thing for me to agonize over. Every time we face an enemy in the lions, I worry about you."

"You're a good commander. You are concerned about all of the team, not to mention all the people of Arus."

"I worry about you the most. What if I lost you? Who could I tell how I really felt?"

"You have no faith in my skills, do you?" Lance huffed, always trying to make light of the situation. He became quiet, thinking about what Keith had just told him. "Is that what you really want? After all we've been through together? You want to just call it quits?"

Keith ran his hand through his hair. "I don't know. Don't you think life would just be easier if we weren't together?"

"No, it wouldn't. You'd still have pressures from Doom and the Garrison. You'd still have deep concern for the well-being of everyone but yourself. But you would have no one to hold you on nights like this. You would be miserable."

Keith let Lance's words soak in. He was right. Lance always put their relationship into perspective. Hell, it wasn't the first time Keith had talked to Lance about his doubts, yet they were still together. "Have I told you how much I love you, Lance?"

"Yeah, but a few more times wouldn't hurt," he smiled. Keith made to slap him but yawned heavily instead. Lance moved to a reclined position on the bed and climbed under the sheets. He opened up the spot next to him and patted on the mattress. "Come on," he commanded.

Keith looked at him quizzically. "You're sleeping here tonight," Lance explained. "Come on."

"I don't know, Lance. This is dangerous. What if someone—"

"You turned off the cameras before you came over?"

Keith nodded.

"Then no one will find out. Now get your ass into bed."

Keith raised an eyebrow. "No funny stuff. We both need the sleep."

Lance stiffened and saluted. "Aye-aye, Captain. No funny stuff." Lance winked.

Keith folded his arms across his chest and glared at Lance. "I promise," Lance gave in.

Keith nodded and walked over to Lance's computer to turn the cameras back on before anyone in the control room became suspicious. He turned and gazed at Lance, clad only in his boxers and sleeveless undershirt. Damn he was sexy. Keith shook his head to clear his mind. He wasn't sure he could hold out himself. He climbed in next to Lance and felt a warm arm wrap around him. Keith snuggled closer and tucked the arm under his own, lacing his fingers between Lance's.

For a moment they rested in silence. Keith's brows furrowed as he felt something twitch and poke him from behind. "I thought I told you no funny stuff, Lance."

"I can't help it if I get turned on every time I hold you in bed. At least I haven't acted on it…yet."

"At all," Keith emphasized.

"Okay, okay…at all."

Lance leaned over and placed a soft kiss on Keith's cheek. "Good night, love," he whispered.

Keith smiled as he relaxed into Lance's arms. With his mind finally at rest, he drifted off into a peaceful sleep for the first time in a month.

* * *

><p>AN: Need a little more closure? Read the M-rated sequel, "Sweet Dreams."


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